Apparatus and method for packing articles in containers

ABSTRACT

FOR PACKING BOTTLES OR OTHER ARTICLES INTO CASES, THE ARTICLES SLIDE FREELY IN A CONTINUOUS FILE DOWN AN INCLINED TRACK WHILE SUSPENDED THEREON, AND BENEATH THE TRACK OPEN CASES ARE BROUGHT BY A CONVEYOR INTO A PATH WHICH EXTENDS THROUGH A LOADING REGION TO A SECOND CONVEYOR FOR REMOVING FILLED CASES. TRAVEL OF ARTICLES IS INTERMITTENTLY ARRESTED ON THE TRACK TO RELEASE SUCCESSIVE GROUPS OF ARTICLES FOR FURTHER ADVANCE AND PROPER ENGRY INTO CORRESPONDING CASES WHICH MAY BE SUCCESSIVELY REGARDED OR STOPPED IN THE LOADING ZONE, THE FORWARD MOVING ENERGY OF THE ENTERING ARTICLES COACTING TO ADVANCE EACH CASE FROM SUCH ZONE TO THE SECOND CONVEYOR WHILE DESCENT OF ARTICLES INTO THE CASE IS COMPLETED. A PLURALITY OF PARALLEL TRACKS EACH WITH ARTICLE-COUNTING ARRESTING MEANS SERVES FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY FILLING PARALLEL ROWS IN EACH CASE. THE   APPARATUS PROVIDES RAPID, ESSENTIALLY CONTINUOUS, LOADING OPERATION WHILE INSURING ENTRY OF ARTICLE GROUPS INTO THE CASES AND IF DESIRED, PROPER DEPOSIT OF ARTICLES INTO INTERNAL POCKETS OF EACH CASE, IN A SELF-SYNCHRONIZING MANNER WITH SIMPLE MECHANISM.

Jan. 12, 1971 c. ANGLADE, JR:

- APPARATus AND METHOD FOR PACKING ARTICLES INCONTAINERS Filed March 151968 4 Sheets--Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

205 fl/vampgde Jan. 12, "1971 C. ANGLADE, JR

, APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PACKING ARTICLES IN CONTAINERS Filed March13, 1968 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 Tia. Z1. 7 7 4 0 p 4 L 5 L 1' H H 'l/ A[IV/A H I n 1| I' h H II w lb :1 1' MN] 111 5 I; 1 J I l we? 35 35 4 5'5x I 3555 3d 25 5 x 25 f W\ W TILE]. 4'

v INVENTOR. 634F /4/V6Z4fij-/ BY Jan. 12,"197l c. ANGLADE, JR

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PACKING ARTICLES IN CONTAINERS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4Filed March '13, 1968 mlQlmI INVENTOR. A /vaz ADE; JP.

24/9105 BY Ru -011;, 3. W

ATTOE/UEV United States Patent 18 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Forpacking bottles or other articles into cases, the articles slide freelyin a continuous file down an inclined track while suspended thereon, andbeneath the track open cases are brought by a conveyor into a path whichextends through a loading region to a second conveyor'for removingfilled cases. Travel of articles is intermittently arrested on the trackto release successive groups of articles for further advance and properentry into corresponding cases which may be successively retarded orstopped in the loading zone, the forward moving energy of the enteringarticles coacting to advance each case from such zone to the secondconveyor while descent of articles into the case is completed. Aplurality of parallel tracks each with article-counting arresting meansserves for simultaneously filling parallel rows in each case. Theapparatus provides rapid, essentially continuous, loading operationwhile insuring entry of article groups into the cases and if desired,proper deposit of articles into internal pockets of each case, in aself-synchronizing manner with simple mechanism.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (1) Field of the invention This inventionrelates to apparatus and methods for packing bottles or other articlesinto containers and par ticularly for operation whereby a continuousfeed or supply of such bottles or articles is provided, causing thearticles to advance along -a descending path in continuous succession,while containers are advanced along a like path to receive successivegroups of aligned articles. The invention is of notable utility in thepacking of bottles, as for example bottled beverages, in open-toppedcartonsor cases that may or may not be provided with pocket-formingpartitions, each to receive a group of bottles in a line, by deposittherein, In presently preferred embodiments, multiple means are providedfor advancing continuous lines of bottles parallel to each other, so asto load the bottles substantially simultaneously in parallel groups inthe receiving cartons or cases. 7

The apparatus and procedure of the invention are designed to affordreliable and rapid operation, in essentially automatic manner, whereby'bottles advancing in successive abutment on linear paths are packedinto succeeding cases or boxes with corresponding automatic delivery offilled containers.

(2) Description of the prior art Various machines have been heretoforeproposed for packing bottles or the like into boxes of cardboard, woodor plastic, a particularly common mechanism involving accumulating andsegregating the bottles into groups, each appropriate for filling a box,then transporting each group horizontally to a packing locality whileabox is brought up to said locality. Means are provided for thenengaging the group of bottles and effecting movement of them downwardinto the box, the latter being thereafter removed, a complete cyclebeing repeated for each successive box or case. Such equipmentordinarily requires complex and correspondingly expensive mechanism forhandling and displacing the bottles and bringing them into the boxes,

3,553,927 Patented Jan. 12, 1971 with difficulties of reliability andservicing and particularly with difficulty of timing and accuracy inendeavoring to increase a speed of operation for a higher rate of flowof bottles to the separating and grouping instrumentalities.

It has also been proposed to advance bottles along and down parallelsloping tracks, in suspended relation, while the upper ends of thebottles are engaged and moved by individual holding or retaining devicestraveling with the bottles by appropriate mechanism, such proposal alsoincluding means for advancing successive cases or boxes to receive thebottles from the end of the track. Such proposed machine furtherrequired connecting or timing instrumentalities intermediate thebottle-engaging and advancing means and the case-moving parts so as toinsure registration of the bottles with the pockets in the cases and toaccount for some spacing between successive, individually displacedcases.

A particular object of the present invention is to afford improved andhighly efficient apparatus for deposit ing bottles into successivecases, such apparatus conveniently embracing feed of bottles essentiallyby free travel along a downward sloping track in suspended relation, andin such fashion as to afford more accurate, gentler and more rapiddeposit of bottles into the receiving pockets of the cases. Specialobjects are to provide effective means obviating tendency of breakage ofbottles or other damage to articles as found to be encountered withequipment of the sort mentioned above, a further aim being to dispensewith special case-tilting arrange ments and to effectuate mutualalignment of bottles and containers While requiring a minimum distanceof fall of the bottle into the container. A still further object is theprovision of an extremely rapid and simplified machine, adapted tofunction essentially continuously from continuously flowing lines ofbottles fed thereto, for ultimate delivery of a flow of filled boxes orcases.

I SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION For the foregoing and other purposes, theapparatus of the invention, especially in its presently preferredembodiment for packing bottles in cases, comprises a downwardly slopingtrack which consists of a pair of rails spaced to accommodate the neckof a bottle and thereby suspend it by the rim or flange conventionallyformed at the upper end of the'neck, such track being arranged toreceive a continuing line of bottles positively advanced to enter thetrack, and the apparatus further including means for advancingsuccessive cases which are open or have been previously opened, e.g.boxes, cartons or the like, in a continuing, endwise-abutting linebeneath and in vertical alignment with the track so that bottlesapproaching the lower end of the latter move into the cases and dropinto such cases as they fall from the free end of the track. Mostadvantageously, according to present preference, the travel of thebottles along the track is efiectuated by initial impulses and gravity,and the arrangement of means for advancing succesive cases and thepathway structure thereof is most desirably such that as the lower endsof the bottles enter significantly into the case that is expected toreceive an aligned group of them, the further forward movement of thecase is aided or indeed governed by the energy of the forward componentof the motion of bottles along the track.

The system further includes means for positively displacing successivecases away from the locality of first introduction of bottles, suchmeans preferably being arranged so that it carries the cases past theplace where bottles actually, in succession, drop into the pockets. Incoaction with the described means whereby successive bottles or otherarticles, and successive cases, are advanced to and into the loadinglocalities, means are provided, most advantageously controlledessentially only by the descending bottles themselves, wherebysuccessive groups of such bottles are temporarily arrested or retardedto insure proper registration of each such group with the arrival of thecase to receive it. An effective embodiment of such means, for example,invloves a rotatable or other element engageable with successiveindividual bottles and selectively exerting restraining force, e.g. onthe leading bottle of a predetermined number which constitutes thegroup, the restraining force being self-releasing by the accumulatingload of bottles in the track, in such way as to accommodate the advanceof the next case. This usually brief, temporary delay of bottle advancemay advantageously occur with respect to bottles that are still elevatedabove the top edges of the arriving cases, whereby upon bottle releasesuch articles and the cases in effect move simultaneously into positionof actual entry of the articles below such edges.

In this fashion, there is provided automatic yet extremely simple timingso as to accommodate the thickness of the abutting end walls ofsuccessive cases (which present somewhat greater spacing than thinindividual partitions in each case) and indeed other circumstantialspacing between cases, the travel of the cases themselves being such asto tend to be arrested, subject to resumed advance by the energy of theentering bottles. Thus a slight delay or retardation of movement of acase being loaded away from the locality where advance is preferablygoverned by the energy of descending bottles, can be taken into accountat the same time. Moreover, whereas the mutually abutting bottles can beself-guiding past the thin partitions in a case, at least some spacingis required to avoid difficulty in descent of bottles on opposite sidesof the abutting walls of two successive cases.

Complete apparatus for loading cases or the like each havingarrangements to receive two or more rows of articles, e.g. often threeor four such rows, may include a plurality of side-by-side trackstructures down which the bottles or other articles advance in singlefile, with coacting restraining means for each track, preferably with asingle release, so that the articles are simultaneously loaded into eachrow of the case in the manner explained. The bottle-suspending rails ofeach track are advantageously made of or faced with material tofacilitate sliding of the bottles, and may include some adjustability ofthe mutual spacing of rails to accommodate bottles having differentwidths of neck. Likewise, as particularly permitted by the novel controlof the advance of groups of bottles, in single file, and successivecases, to the initial loading locality, the vertical position of theentire track and bottle-carrying assembly can be vertically adjusted tohandle bottles and cases of different heights. A still further featureof the combination and method is that the conveyor which removes casesfrom the initial loading cality while completion of descent of bottlesis occurring is very preferably operated at high speed, i.e. more rapidthan the advance of cases to such locality, with corresponding avoidanceof any back-up or interference and most especially for readyaccommodation to a high overall speed of operation.

Although the invention is applicable to the loading of articles intocases or the like which neither have nor require much or any guiding orsupporting structure within the container, a particular feature incombination is that with cases having a rectangular partitioning grid,as conventional for beverage bottles, notably improved results in theemployment of gravity advance and deposit of properly positioned bottlesis achieved where the transverse partitions are substantially lower thanthe longitudinal partitions. In this fashion appropriate maximumguidance is obtained as between the adjacent, advancing rows or lines ofbottles, while maintaining actual suspension of such articles for amaximum time and allowing more accurate self-guidance between thebottles of a group, with the result that free fall of each bottle isminimized and thus there is optimum assurance that the bottles will notbe broken or damaged.

As will now be seen, the invention involves an essentially new method ofadvancing successive bottles or other suspendable articles downwardalong a track, as by an initial impulse combined with gravity, Whilecorrespondingly advancing cases into, through and beyond localities forbottle deposit, under differently governed or controlled forces atsuccessive regions or localities of the path and while regulating thegravity advance of bottles, essentially by groups and preferably inresponse only to the movement or energy of the bottles themselves,whereby synchronization of arrival of bottles and cases into loadingrelation is fully assured. As will also be appreciated, the apparatusand procedure provide an efiicient packing operation, with an unusualminimum of mechanical instrumentalities, avoiding complex moving parts,structurally inter-related timing mechanisms or the like. At the sametime all necessary synchronization is readily attained and the system isadapted for relatively high speed operation. Because of the structuralsimplification achieved by the novel principles of controlling advanceof articles and containers, reliability of function and freedom fromservicing of complex mechanisms is achieved, as likewise and veryimportantly, a ready adjustability of a given unit of the apparatus tohandle a variety of sizes of bottles or the like and a variety ofdimensions or types of cases or other containers. The equipment isadapted for receiving bottles from conventional filling machines, e.g.in simple, single-file rows of such articles in successive abutment,while the supply of cases is similarly expedited, the latter beinghandled in simple, succeeding abutment, without requiring any specialmutual spacing either before or within the apparatus. In packingbottles, they are deposited in relatively gentle fashion, yet inaccurate registration and with desirable rapidity, as indicated above.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The foregoing and further features ofthe invention are more particularly set forth in the descriptionhereinbelow, in reference to the accompanying drawings which show oneembodiment of the invention in somewhat simplified form, by way ofexample. Referring to the drawmgs:

FIG. 1 is essentially a side elevational view of the complete apparatus;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, enlarged plan view essentially on the sectionline 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, enlarged, transverse elevation, partly insection, on line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary transverse elevation on line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary, enlarged, transverse elevation, partly insection, on line 5-5 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary side elevation on line 6-6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged, fragmentary plan view on line 7-7 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a transverse section on line 8-8 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary side elevation, corresponding to FIG. 1, showingcertain parts at about the moment of release of a group of bottles; and

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary plan view of the path of cases, showingcase-retarding side rails.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION While the invention is applicable to packingbottles, cans or any other suspendable articles, the apparatus is shownand described, for purposes of illustration, as de signed for handlingbottles, but will function similarly in handling other articles.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the illustrated unit of apparatus comprisesa group of downwardly sloping track structures 20 supported over aconveyor path generally designated 22 along which successive cases 24are advanced while the bottles 25 descend the tracks and ultimately dropinto the cases. The machine is shown for handling cases to contain 24bottles, being four longitudinal rows, each receiving agroup or line of6 bottles, so that there are four track structures 20 (FIG. 2 andothers) parallel to each other. Since thetrack structures can beidentical in essentially all their parts, such elements'of eachwillcarry the same reference numbers, and the description will beprimarily directed to a single track. As indicated, the invention canutilize any number of one or more tracks and can accommodate lineargroups of bottles in each track, i.e. as receivedin the cases, ofvarying numbers, dilferent from the illustrated example. The successive,abutting boxes or cases can, of course, be advanced with their longerdimensions across the path, if desired, for coaction with a suitablenumber of feed tracks, and indeed almost any shape of open-toppedcontainer (meaning any container which is open in construction or mayhave flaps or the like which are opened for packing) may beaccommodated, as likewise any type of bottle, can or other article thatmay be suspended between a pair of rails.

The track 20 comprises an upper horizontal portion 27, downwardlysloping portions 28, 29 and a final, conveniently horizontal portion 30having a short, sloping discharge end 31. The entire track assembly,i.e. each of the described sections, comprises a spaced pair ofsupporting'rail strips 33, 33 coacting with a corresponding pair oflower rail and guide elements 34, 34 so as to clamp between them acorresponding spaced pair of functioning rail elements 35, 35 that maybe made of suitable lowfriction material such as Teflon or other plasticor resin of like properties, the rails 35, 35 being spaced to provide acontinuous slot between them which will accommodate the neck of a bottle25 immediately below the flange or rim 37 at the top of the bottle. Thuseach bottle can slide freely the entire length of the track, beingsafely suspended between and upon the edges of the elements 35, 35, thelatter being such as to minimize friction and also to cushion thebottles slightly against damage. The parts 34, 34 also include dependingflanges or guide plates 38 shaped to receive at least a portion ofthebottle neck with clearance, for keeping the bottle in a substantiallyvertical position, against swinging sideways. The mounting of the stripguides 34-38 can be such as to permit adjustment of their positioncrosswise of the track, e.g. as by providing transverse slots (indicatedat 39) in the portions 34, through which the mounting bolts 40 for thedefined assembly pass.' By such adjustment, various widths or shapes ofbottle necks are handled between these guides.

The entire track system maybe supported with an appropriate frameworkdesignated 42 and having suitable uprights 43, .44 and others as needed,the tracks being appropriately suspended from the framework. For,example, the entering, horizontal track portion 27 ,is simply mountedbelow a cross member46 by the bolts 40, provision being made foradjusting the spacing of the two sides of each track, e.g. as indicatedby the bolt-receiving slots 47 in the flange of the member 46.

Another mode of suspending the tracks,. presently preferred at least forthe. sloping portions 28, 29 and 30, is particularly shown in FIGS. 1and 4, and may comprise an inverted U-shaped element or yoke 49 havinglower arms 50 that can be'bent toward and away from each other and heldin adjusted position by threaded locking means 52 so as to altordcorresponding adjustment of the spacing of the rail assemblies 33-34-35that are carried by suitable lugs 53, 53 at the lower ends of the arms50. The rail assemblies being advantageously mounted in a fashionindicated in FIG. 3, for separate setting of the guide strips 38, 38,the described structurethus permits adjusting the basic width betweenthe rails and likewise the spacing of the guide skirts. At each desiredplace of support of the pairs of rails, a. similar yoke structure 49 isemployed, as shown in FIG. 4, and these yokes may be suspended from theframe 42 in any appropriate manner, e. g., as from a transverse bar 54of the latter, which carries two or more adjustable, threaded couplingmembers 55 that in turn directly support the yokes or a bar 57 carryingthem.

Bottles 25 are brought to the entrance of each track by means such as aconveyor belt 60; although they may more usually arrive in a randommass, they are simply shown as coming in single files, and in any casethey are sorted into such files as their necks enter between theoutwardly flaring ends 61, -61 of the rail parts 35, 35. As will beunderstood, the required, continuing lines of bottles are thus advancedinto and partly along the rail section 27, arriving on the belt 60 fromsuitable mechanism (not shown) that has been employed for filling andcapping the bottles. The force of the moving conveyor, transmittedthrough the bottles supported on it is sufficient to push the row ofbottles along the horizontal track portion 27, and through a part of thelatter where the bottles are suspended, until they reach the downwardlysloping track section 28. Preferably with considerable kinetic energyremaining from the conveyor action, the bottles then proceed to slidefreely down the rails in a continuous abutting flow. As stated, the pathof the rails includes the two sloping sections 28, 29 and also a furtherhorizontal section 30, where the positive advance of a case 24a intowhich the bottles are falling takes over, to move the bottles along asexplained hereinbelow. For gentle deposit, the remote end part 31 of thetrack section 30 slopes downwardly as indicated (FIGS. 1, 7 and 8) andthe stiff, smooth bearing strips 35 may conveniently extend beyond theend of the rigid part 31, as at 63, thereby affording a slightlyresilient track section that ultimately releases the bottle necks fromits end. Indeed the strip portions 63 may be touched by the top edges ofthe case 24 and may spring down into the cases as the latter pass, sothat the final drop of each bottle into its compartment or pocket is ofminimum distance.

The path structure 22 for the cases or boxes 24 comprises threesuccessive sections, viz. a long, entering conveyor belt 65, a centralconveyor table 66 having transverse, non-driven rollers 67 and afurther, long take-off conveyor belt 68. The dimensions and spacing ofthese sections are advantageously such that a case 240, squarelypositioned on the roll table 66 will be free of direct drive by the belt(and will be far behind the case-removing belt 68), and indeed will tendto be slowed and arrested (with the succeeding train of cases) as byfriction or other means as explained below. In other words, unless atleast some additional advancing force is applied to the case or box 240,it tends to come to rest on the rollers 67. Indeedthe nature and drive(not shown) of the belt 65 and its coaction with the empty cases carriedthereon is designedly such that the force or energy imparted to the case240 by the abutting case 240. behind it (and the further cases that arecoming up), may be alone insuflicient to move the case 240 forward (tothe left, in FIG. 1) off the table, at least unless there is someadditional forward force exerted as explained below. In any event, thesituation of the table 66 and the belt '65 provides means whereby a caseat the position 240 is governed in its ultimate advance onto the belt 68by the kinetic energy of the bottles 25b moving downwardly into eachcase, it being understood that although shown separated for clarity,these bottles are actually more or less in mutual abutment, beingultimately slightly separated by the upstanding edges of the transversepartitions 70 so that the bottles finally slide into the pockets orcompartments as shown respecting the case in position 24a.

In order to provide effective synchronism of the bottles and the cases,yet Without requiring direct mechanical interconnection or any likemechanism associated with the track and the conveying system 65-67-68, aseparator device is employed, including a star-shaped or otherwisetoothed wheel 72 disposed above thetrack and having appropriatelytapered teeth or detaining elements 74, the wheel being mounted on afreely turning shaft 75 (FIG. and the teeth 74 being spaced so that thecap or upper end of a bottle can be received between successive teeth,thereby turning or tending to turn the wheel as bottles are individuallyso engaged while they slide down the track more or less in succeedingabutment.

At its outer end the shaft also carries a pair of oppositely extendingarms 77, 78, thus turning with the wheel 72, each arm at its end beingadapted to strike a pivoted detent 79, which has an L-shapedconfiguration about its pivot, including a spring-loaded horizontal arm80 that keeps the arm 79 in the path of the arms 77, 78 (see also FIG.6).

The arm 80 is thus normally biased to the downward position shown insolid lines in FIG. 6, as by a spring 81 under compression between a nutor collar 82 on a bolt 83, and the upper side of the arm 80, the head 84of the bolt engaging the lower side of the arm and the bolt beingsecured at its upper end in a suitable cross member 86 of the frame.Hence when the wheel 72 is turned so that the arm 77 strikes the detent79, the wheel is arrested, but further forceable rotation of the wheeland arm 77 will, by the pressure of the end of the latter, cause thedetent and lever 79-80 to rock counterclockwise (FIG. 6) against thespring 81, thus permitting continued rotation of the wheel 72.

Although other means, whether bottle-actuated or not, can be used, thedevice comprising wheel 72 and its detent provide effective separatingfunction for successive groups of bottles. Thus where each group has sixbottles, for filling a lengthwise row of one case, the wheel 72 has 12teeth and thus 12 recesses between teeth, each adapted to receive thetop end of a single bottle only. More particularly as each of theopposite detent arms 77, 78 is forced past the arm 79 and continues toturn until the other rotating arm strikes the arm 79, six of theperipheral recesses of the wheel sweep past the region of juxtapositionof the wheel to the track and permit the corresponding passage of sixbottles, under gravity, along the track. After this group has passed,the other turning arm strikes the arm 79 and is arrested, therebyhalting the seventh bottle.

Succeeding bottles, which have been sliding down the track more or lessfreely without much force of mutual abutment, if any (since there isappreciable acceleration as the bottles descend the relatively longslope 28), begin in effect to exert energy on the retained bottle c(FIGS. 2 and 9), so that by the kinetic energy of the bottles thuspiling up, in single file, against the bottle 25c and by the potentialenergy of the position of the bottles on the sloping track, a largeforce is quickly developed against bottle 25c and also conceivably bythe next bottle 25d against the next tooth 74 of the wheel 72. Inconsequence sufiicient torque is exerted on the wheel to push, forexample, the arm 77 (FIGS. 1, 5, 6 and 9), past the arm 79, i.e. rockingthe structure 79-80 counterclockwise to the dotted line position in FIG.6 against the spring 81. The wheel then turns freely, allowing descentof six bottles in succession. When the seventh bottle 25e reaches theposition last occupied by the bottle 250, the other arm 78 on the wheelshaft strikes the arm 79, arresting this leading bottle of the nextgroup, for repetition of the described cycle.

In this fashion a brief delay is automatically introduced into thedescent of bottles, following the travel of each of a series of a givennumber of bottles past the locality of the wheel 72. By adjustment ofthe spring 81, e.g. increasing or decreasing its force of compression,the time of delay may be accordingly adjusted and thereby the spacing ofeach group of six bottles from the preceding group that has advancedinto the track section 29. As at present contemplated, this delay isvery brief and is terminated by the kinetic energy of the descendingbottles as soon as a few of them have in effect piled up against theleading bottle 250. The timing is specifically such as to permit thenext case 240 to move its opening into position for receiving the firstbottle 250 of the defined group, and indeed to slow down or stop,awaiting the bottles. Hence as the bottles are released by the starwheel 72, they move forward and down, and begin to descend into theoncoming or stopping case 240, whereby the first bottle 25c soon strikesthe forward wall of the case and begins to move it over the table 66, topass through the position of case 24b. As will be apparent, there is alarge tolerance for the slowed or arrested position of the case, toreceive the bottles.

Similar wheels 72 are provided for each of the tracks 20 in theillustrated multi-track apparatus, also mounted on the same shaft 75 asapparent in FIG. 5, the teeth 74 of the wheels being aligned parallel tothe shaft, for corresponding control of bottle advance in exacthorizontal alignment in the several tracks. As shown, a singlespringloaded detent mechanism suffices to control the movement ofbottles in all of the tracks together, the dimensions and compression ofthe spring being selected for appropriate response to the energy of thedescending accumulation of bottles (e.g. chiefly or wholly kineticenergy, for rapid release in most instances), i.e. the total of energythus available in the four rows taken together. While conceivablyseparate spring-loaded delay means can be provided for each track, thesingle structure for a group of tracks is deemed sufficient in manycases and affords simplification of the initial required adjustment ofspring force.

As will be appreciated, the wheel 72 may have other numbers of teeth andother arrangements of the rotating arms 77, 78 may be employed,including the use of only one or more than two arms, all as may bedesired for structural convenience, and of course to provide control ofthe selected number of bottles in each packing group. While otherbottle-counting and bottle-responsive means may be employed forefiectuating the desired momentary delay or separation in the series ofdescending bottles, the disclosed mechanical arrangement of the starwheel 72 and the spring-loaded detent is considered particularlyeffective and free of trouble.

In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the track portion 28 is shown as having asteeper slope, i.e. down to the locality of juxtaposition of the wheel72, than the further portion 29 where the bottles begin to enter a case.In this fashion, sufficient kinetic enegry is achieved in the bottlesdescending the portion 28 for positive operation of the separatormechanism and for insuring desired, substantial uniformity of the delayor spacing there achieved between successive bottle groups. The somewhatmore gentle slope in section 29 permits well-controlled entry of thebottles into the cases 240 and 2412, while retaining sufficient energyof the bottles or sufiicient realization of such energy by theaccelerative force of gravity, for necessary forward movement of thebottles and their assistance in forward displacement of such cases.

As the case gets onto the exit conveyor 68, e.g. into the position 24a,this conveyor takes over the forward drive of both case and bottles, sothat a horizontal or level section 30 of the track is presently deemedpreferable to decelerate any downward component of bottle motion. Henceas the bottles slide off the short further slope 31 and the extendedportion of the track elements 63, the final fall of each bottle is shortand in downward direction relatively gentle. As will be understood, theactual positioning of the sections 28, 29 and 30, as regards degree ofslope or use of a horizontal condition can be readily designed foroptimum results, provided, moveover, that the track has a smooth andgradual curve, rather than a sharp angle, at each change of slope. Sincethe suspending structures for the track sections 28 to 30 allconveniently include vertical adjustment means 55, setting of the trackin the desired positional configuration is readily achieved.

For adaptability of a unit of equipment to handle various dimensions ofbottles and cases, the vertical position of the supporting frame 42 canbe adjusted by appropriate means in the upright members thereof, forexample as indicated by the adjustably bolted plates or channels 93,94in the members 43, 44. When the desired vertical spacing of the trackabove the conveyor path 22 is achieved (with corresponding adjustment ofthe level of the bottle feed belt 60 to suit the bottle height) theremay be of course some further adjustment of the position of the tracksections, With the aid of the elements 55, i.e. to attain optimumpositioning of the track and its configuration to'agree with theselected size of bottles and cases.

As has been indicated, a special feature of the invention involves theemployment of boxes or cases 24 wherein the transverse partitions 70 aresubstantially shorter, in vertical direction, than the longitudinalpartitions 96 (FIGS. 1 and 7); thus by way of example, a case suitablefor holding bottles of the general character illustrated and having sidewalls about equal to the bottle height, may have the longitudinalpartitions 96 terminating at least about halfway between the bottom andtop of the case, with the transverse partition 70 extending aboutone-third of such distance, or perhaps even less.

It will be understood that references to longitudinal and transversedispositions of the partitions are solely concerned with the directionof travel of the cases in the path 22; if the cases or boxes aredisposed with their longer dimension across the path, the partitionshere identified as longitudinal will be those that extend across theshorter dimension of the case, while the lateral partitions will becorrespondingly longer. With such structure of the cases, essentiallymaximum lateral guidance of the descending and entering bottles isachieved, i.e. between the parallel files of bottles coming down therespective tracks, while at the same time the sloping section of thetrack can extend to a relatively very low position, for optimum controlof each group of bottles, e.g. each row of six bottles in the apparatusof FIG. 1, as the group descends into the case.

This structural relation of the track and case partitioning isespecially significant in the region of the case or box path above thetable 66. It permits lowering of the bottles by the track, with positiverestraint on downward bottle movement, to a lowest possible positionwhile the bottles are taking over, so to speak, the forward movement ofthe case and while the bottles are in course of self-alignment, e.g.among themselves, in preparation for entering the compartments orpockets and for ultimate drop at the end of the track. In other words,some necessary tolerance is afforded in bottle position while the trackis allowing movement of such articles downward, yet the final drop, e.g.as the case proceeds beyond the position 24a, is as short as possibleand still with full lateral guidance for each bottle.

Suitable side guiding means along the path 22 of the cases, e.g. on theconveyor 65, over the table 66 and on the conveyor 68, with appropriateelements for holding any flaps or lids open (if the boxes are providedwith same), may be included, for instance as indicated by the lateralguide rail 98 in FIG. 1. The belts 65 and 68 have appropriate drivingmechanisms, indicated diagrammatically at 99, 100. As shown in FIG. 10,these rails 98 may be curved inward at 98a, so that as the case 240 ispushed (by the-preceding case 24d) along the roller table 66, the sideflaps 102 of the case are bent down closer to the sides of the caseagainst a tendency to spring out. Hence retarding force is there exertedon each case, tending to arrest it until a group of bottles is releasedand the forward movement of the bottles causes the case to advancebeyond this locality.

The complete operation of the method and apparatus will now be readilyapparent. The bottle feed conveyor 60 brings up a continuing line ofabutting bottles 25 for entry into each track, the driving impulse "ofthe bottles on the conveyor being suflicient to carry each hottle alongthe short remainder of the track section 27 and to impel it down theslope 28, where it slides very freely by its neck, with the aid ofgravity or conceivably in some cases by gravity alone, so that a singlefile of bottles moves freely down the track. Although it is conceivablethat some supplemental mechanical means might be employed for aiding orotherwise contributing to the movement of the bottles along the track,yet in a preferably impositive way so as to permit desired function ofthe separator device 72, a specifically advantageous aspect of theillustrated embodiment is in reliance essentially solely on one or bothof the initial impulse or gravity for moving the bottles and for theactions governed or actuated by their movement.

While the flow of bottles is continuing along and down the track, acorresponding required feed of cases 24 is eifectuated, in abuttingsuccession, by the conveyor 65, so as to move such cases successivelyonto the rollers 77 of the table 66. Each group of six bottles istemporarily arrested by the wheel 72 and its spring-loaded detent, e.g.,by temporarily stopping the first bottle 250. As explained, this resultsin a rapid accumulation of the abutting bottles, most clearlyillustrated in FIG. 9, which essentially repeats the showing of thispart of FIG. 1 (wherein detail of the bottle accumulation is omitted forclarity), FIG. 9 indicating the position just as the bottles are aboutto be released, and just as the case 24c moves beyond its position inFIG. 1. Immediately prior to release, the leading bottle may actually berocked forward at its lower end and some bottles remotely behind may berocked the other way, depending upon the extent of buildup of a clusterduring the brief period of delay. As the group is released they resumetheir descent in succession, now along the decline 29, and move into theslowed or arrested case 240, ultimately causing the latter to moveforward on the table 66, through the position indicated by the case 24b,while the bottles continue to descend into the case. This advance of thecase is largely or can be wholly effected through the force of thebottles, especially as exerted by the leading bottle 250 on the forwardwall of the case (with the aid, if necessary, of cases coming upbehind). While conceivably the arrangement may in some cases be such asto maintain positive drive of the case from the succeeding cases on theconveyor during the entire passage across the table 66, especiallyadvantageous results are considered to be achieved with the movement ofthe bottles in effect governing the case travel, at least as the caseapproaches the position 24b of FIG. 1.

During this phase of advance, the bottles, as at 25b, are being loweredinto the case successively, and the leading ones begin to drop below thelongitudinal partition 96. It may be explained here that the length ofthe table 66 is preferably at least such that for some distance eachcase 24 is supported essentially wholly by the table, and is under suchrestraint that the force of the advancing bottle or bottles is requiredto get the case onto the exit belt 68. The location of the separatingdevice 72 is pref erably such as to release each group of bottles as thefront wall of the corresponding case 24 has passed and the case isstopping or at least slowing down (on the table 66), so that the bottlescan catch up with it and effect its further advance. In such relation,the desired synchronization of bottle groups and cases is effectivelyachieved, the positioning of the track (with change of slopeconveniently at this locality) being such that the lead bottle 250(which is the lowest) is above the upper edge of the forward wall of thecase until both such bottle and the case have moved appreciably beyondthe locality of bottle release, indeed preferably with more or lessadvance of the case relative to the bottle position so that despite anyangular aspect of the lead bottle it may properly descend behind thefront wall.

With the bottles 25b being lowered into the case at 24b, and with thepreferred operation of case advance governed by the bottles, the casemoves onto the exit conveyor 68, which begins to assume the forwarddrive of the case. By this time, the bottles are self-oriented in anessentially true vertical position and ready for final alignment anddescent within the compartments bounded by the partitions 70. Note thatthe weight of bottles is preferably not received by a case until it ison conveyor 68, thus aiding the above-described self-synchronizationinvolving coaction of bottle groups in moving the cases on the table 66.The belt 68 advantageously moves at a substantially faster speed thanthe feed belt 65, thereby rapidly carrying the case into the position24a and along for eventual discharge and further handling as desired.Indeed in practice the effect is to space successive cases significantlyfrom one another along this belt, rather than to allow them to remain inabutment as actually shown in FIG. 1 for simplicity. Passing through andbeyond the position 24a, the bottles are first moved by and with thecase, finally dropping from the end portion 63 into the successivepockets or compartments with a minimum of shock. Each loaded case, as atMe, is, as stated, moved rapidly to the desired place of furtherdisposition, not shown.

Recapitulating, the conveyor 68 may move the cases away at a high speedand in practice separates them, as partially indicated by the dottedline 24 in FIG. 1. It will also be understood that although for claritythe bottles at 25b and further in the track are shown with mutualspacing, these bottles may or may not actually have some abutment witheach other, in the course of re-alignment, the ultimate registration ofthe bottles with the compartments being readily achieved by the guidinginfluence of the thin partition 70 in all instances.

The operation thus proceeds continuously, filling successive cases withbottles from all four lines of track, while maintaining a continuingflow of bottles along and throughout each track, the actual bottlesbeing only omitted from most of the track section 28 (which is filledwith them) in FIG. 1 for simplicity of illustration. The separafordevice 72 functions to maintain synchronization of bottle groups andcases and the entire system and operation is self-regulating and largelyself-controlling, as for example in that if any stoppage of bottle orcase feed occurs as in the regions of the table 66 or the exit conveyor,the various articles and cases are brought to rest in position forresumption of operation, the belt 65 simply slipping beneath thearrested line of cases 24. Likewise if interruption of bottle feedoccurs, there may be no more than at most a single improperly filledcase, in that without advance of bottles (in the preferred arrangementof the invention) no case can proceed beyond the position 24b on thetable 66. The entire system functions automatically, with a minimum ofmechanical parts and with adaptation to a large variety of shapes andsizes of bottles or other articles and cases or boxes in which the sameare to be packed. Especially because of its simplicity and itseffectiveness, high speeds of operation are attainable, while thebottles are handled with a very minimum of free fall and with bestassurance against breakage or damage of any sort. Timing of arrival ofbottles and cases is readily set, as with preliminary testing at thebeginning of an operation, by adjusting the force, e.g. compression, ofthe spring 81 for the detent 79-80 by means of nut 82 on the bolt 83;once such adjustment is made respecting the brief delay or retardationof the bottle groups, good synchronization is thereafter maintained asexplained.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specificstructures and steps herein set forth but may be carried out in otherways without departure from its spirit.

What is claimed is:

1. In apparatus for depositing successive groups of aligned articlesinto successive containers, in combination, means including adownward-sloping, article-suspending track, for effectuating advance ofarticles in substantially continuous succession down said track whilesuspended therefrom, means for advancing successive containers to alocality beneath a lower part of said track, whereby successive groupsof aligned articles move downwardly into correspondingly succeedingcontainers, and means associated with the track and effective withrespect to each descending group of articles arriving at a place abovesaid lower part, for temporarily interrupting advance of saidlast-mentioned group, to accommodate further advance of saidlast-mentioned group to a position of registration with the containerwhich is to receive such group, said interrupting means comprisingreleasable arresting means at said place in the path of articles in thetrack, said arresting means being releasable upon force thereon of theaccumulation of articles of the group moving down the track.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, in which said track is shaped tobring articles down into containers at the aforesaid locality, and whichincludes means providing a path for advance of successive containers toand past said locality, the aforesaid container advancing meanscomprising conveyor means for advancing the containers successively intothe locality and said path means at said locality comprisingcontainer-supporting means allowing advance of each container beyondsaid locality only upon engagement of the container by at least onearticle moving into it along the track, said apparatus including meansreceiving successive containers that have been engaged bydownwardly-entering articles, for advancing said containers beyond saidlocality, said track including a portion extending beyond said localityand over said last-mentioned advancing means, and said track beingconstructed and arranged for movement of each group of suspendedarticles at said locality partially into the container that is toreceive them and finally releasing the group of articles from the trackinto the container after passage of the articles along saidlast-mentioned track portion while the container is advanced by thelast-mentioned advancing means.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, which includes means for mountingthe track above the container advancing means, adjustable in verticalposition to accommodate articles and containers of different verticaldimensions.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 3, in which said adjustable mountingmeans comprises a frame from which said track is suspended, andadjustable means in the frame for varying the height of the frame abovethe container advancing means.

5. In apparatus as defined in claim 3, in which said adjustable mountingmeans comprises a frame, means suspending the track from the frame,including means for adjusting the vertical extent of said suspendingmeans.

6. In apparatus for depositing successive groups of aligned articlesinto successive containers, in combination, means including adownward-sloping, article-suspending track, for etfectuating slidingadvance of articles in substantially continuous succession substantiallyfreely down said track while suspended therefrom, means for advancingsuccessive containers to a locality beneath a lower part of said track,whereby successive groups of aligned articles move downwardly intocorrespondingly succeeding containers, and means associated with thetrack at a place above but near said lower part and responsive toarrival of the leading article of each descending group, for temporarilyinterrupting advance of said last-mentioned group and thereafterreleasing said group, to effectuate further advance of saidlast-mentioned group to a position of registration with the containerwhich is to receive the group, said last-mentioned means comprisingmeans in the path of articles in the track, engageable by said leadingarticle for arresting the same, and means responsive to the accumulatingenergy of following articles for releasing said arresting means after apredetermined interruption of article advance.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 6, in which said energyresponsive meanscomprises biasing means adjustable to vary the duration of saidinterruption.

8. In apparatus for depositing successive groups of aligned articlesinto successive containers, in combination, means including adownward-sloping, article-suspending track, for etfectuating slidingadvance of articles in substantially continuous succession substantiallyfreely down said track while suspended therefrom, means for advancingsuccessive containers to a locality beneath a lower part of said track,whereby successive groups of aligned articles move downwardly intocorrespondingly succeeding containers, and means associated with thetrack at a place above but near said lower part and responsive toarrival of the leading article of each descending group, for temporarilyinterrupting advance of said last-mentioned group and thereafterreleasing said group, to effectuate further advance of saidlast-mentioned group to a position of registration with the containerwhich is to receive the group, said track being shaped to bring articlesdown into containers at the aforesaid locality, and said apparatusincluding means providing a path for advance of successive containers toand past said locality, the aforesaid container advancing meanscomp-rising conveyor means for carrying the containers in endwiseabutment, and said path means including means therein beyond saidlocality and adapted to advance successive containers further along saidpath, while, articles are finally released into the containers, andcontainer-supporting means atsaid locality constructed and arranged toallow advance of a container from said locality on to the furtheradvancing means only under control of downwardly received articles fromthe track, having energy of travel suflicient at least to aid initiationof such further advance of the container, said track including a portionwhich extends beyond said locality and over said further advancing meansand which maintains the articles in suspended sliding relation whilepartly received in the container, said track being arranged for saidfinal release of the articles into the container only after thecontainer has moved onto said further advancing means and after saidfurther advancing means has-advanced the container and the suspendedpartly received articles beyond said locality.

9. In apparatus for depositing successive groups of articles intosuccessive containers, in combination, means including adownwardly-sloping track adapted to receive such articles in suspendedretention adjacent the upper end of each article, for effecting downwardtravel of a substantially continuous line of articles along the track,and means providing a path for advance of successive containers to andpast a locality beneath a lower part of said sloping track, said-trackbeing shaped to bring articles down into containers at said locality,said path means including conveyor means for advancing the containerssuccessively into said locality, and said path means at said localitycomprising non-driven, container-supporting means allowing advance ofeach container beyond said locality only upon engagement of thecontainer by at least one article moving into it along the track, saidpath means including a second conveyor means receiving containers fromsaid container-supporting means for advancing containers successivelyaway from said locality after each container has been engaged by atleast saidone article of a group of articles which have been broughtdown into the container, said track having a portion extending over saidsecond conveyor means and arranged to release the group of articlesfinally into the container only when the second conveyor means isadvancing the container beyond said locality.

10. In apparatus for depositing successive groups of articles intosuccessive containers, in combination, means including adownward-sloping track adapted to receive such articles in suspendedretention adjacent the upper end of each article, for effecting downwardtravel of a substantially continuous line of articles along 'the track,means providing a path for advance of successive containers to and pasta locality beneath a lower part of said sloping track for entry ofarticles into the containers, said path means including conveyor meansfor advancing the containers in endwise abutment successively into said10- cality, means in said path beyond said locality and adapted toadvance successive containers further along said path, while articlesare finally released into the containers, said path means at saidlocality including means allowing advance of said containers onto thefurther advancing means only under control of downwardly receivedarticles from the track, having energy of travel sufiicient at least toaid initiation of such further advance of the container, said trackhaving a portion extending over said further advancing means andarranged to effect said final release of a group of articles into thecontainer only after said further means has begun to advance thecontainer, and means controlled by successive groups of articlesadvancing down the track toward said locality, for temporalrily delayingeach such group for registration with corresponding, successivecontainers moving into said locality, said last-mentioned meanscomprising means for arresting the leading article of each such groupand means responsive to force of the resulting accumulation of suchgroup of articles for releasing the arresting means after apredetermined interruption of article advance.

11. In apparatus for depositing successive groups of articles intosuccessive containers, in combination, means including adownward-sloping track adapted to receive such articles in suspendedretention adjacent the upper end of each article, for effecting downwardtravel of a substantially continuous line of articles along the track,means providing a path for advance of successive containers to and pasta locality beneath a lower part of said sloping track for entry ofarticles into the containers, said path means including conveyor meansfor advancing the containers in endwise abutment successively into saidlocality, means in said path beyond said locality and adapted to advancesuccessive containers further along said path, while articles arefinally released into the containers, said path means at said localityincluding means allowing advance of said containers onto the furtheradvancing means only under control of downwardly received articles fromthe track, having energy of travel sufiicient at least to aid initiationof such further ad- Vance of the container, and means controlled bysuccessive groups of articles advancing down the track toward saidlocality, for temporarily delaying each such group fog registration withcorresponding, successive containers moving into said locality, saidlast-mentioned means comprising rotatable structure having elements inthe path of the articles moving down the track, for engagement by saidarticles and releasable stop rneans associated with said rotatablestructure for delaying advance of articles in the track, said stop meansbeing releasable upon force of an accumulated group of articles, toeffectuate spacing of said group from a preceding group for attainingthe aforesaid registration with the next containe-r.

12. Apparatus as defined in claim 10, in which the firstmentionedcontainer advancing means comprises a conveyor belt moving thesuccessive containers up and into said locality, said path means at saidlocality comprising roller conveyor means consisting of free-runningnondriven container-supporting structure.

13. A method of packing bottles in aligned groups in successiveopen-topped containers comprising advancing the bottles in closesuccession in free travel along a downward slope while suspending saidbottles by their necks, moving successive open containers into alocality intersecting the downward path of the bottles, each containerbeing adapted to receive a group of bottles in successive alignment, andinterrupting downward feed of bottles along said slope in accordancewith successive advance of the bottles in such groups, for delayingarrival of each group into the depositing locality, to insureregistration 15 of the group with the next succeeding container, saidinterruption of said downward feed being effected by arresting theleading bottle of each such group and terminating said arrest of saidleading bottle in response to the accumulating energy of the followingbottles of the group.

14. A method as described in claim 13, in which successive containersare positively advanced into the receiving locality while retardingpositive advance of the container beyond the locality except underimpulse of forward-acting force of bottles descending along the slopingpath, said method further including moving the container away from saidlocality by supplying further advancing force to the container aftersaid advance by said impulse, and completing release of the suspendedgroup of bottles into the container only after the container has beenmoved away from the locality by said further advancing force.

15. In apparatus for depositing successive groups of articles intosuccessive containers, in combination, means including adownwardly-sloping track adapted to receive such articles in suspendedretention adjacent the upper end of each article, for elfecting downwardtravel of a substantially continuous line of articles along the track,and means providing a path for advance of successive containers to andpast a locality beneath a lower part of said sloping track, said trackbeing shaped to bring articles down into containers at said locality andsaid track having a further portion extending beyond said locality sothat the suspended articles are finally released only after moving alongsaid track portion beyond said locality, said path means including meansfor advancing the containers successively into said locality and furthermeans beyond said locality and beneath said further portion of thetrack, for advancing containers successively further along the pathwhile articles are finally released into the containers, and said pathmeans at said locality comprising container-supporting means allowingadvance of each container onto the further advancing means only uponengagement of the container by at least one article moving into it alongthe track.

16. Apparatus as defined in claim 15, in which the path means foradvance of successive containers is substantially horizontal, and inwhich said further portion of the track is substantially horizontal.

17. In apparatus for depositing successive groups of articles intosuccessive containers, in combination, means including adownwardly-sloping track adapted to receive such articles in suspendedretention adjacent the upper end of each article, for eifecting downwardtravel of a substantially continuous line of articles along the track,and means providing a path for advance of successive containers to andpast a locality beneath a lower part of said sloping track, said trackbeing shaped to bring articles down into containers at said locality sothat a group of articles on the track becomes suspended by the tracksubstantially within each container, said path means including means foradvancing the containers successively into said locality and foradvancing containers successively further along the path away from saidlocality and said track having a further portion disposed closely overthe containers on the path means and extending to and terminating at aplace substantially beyond said locality so that each group of articlesthat is suspended in a container is finally released in the containeronly after said group and said container have advanced to said plate.

'1 8. A method of packing bottles in aligned groups in successiveopen-topped containers comprising advancing the bottles in closesuccession in free travel along a downward slope while suspending saidbottles by their necks, moving successive open containers into alocality intersecting the downward path of the bottles, each containerbeing adapted to receive a group of (bottles in successive alignment,and interrupting downward feed of bottles along said slope in accordancewith successive advance of the bottles in such groups, for delayingarrival of each group into the depositing locality, to insureregistration of the group with the next succeeding container, saidmethod including positively advancing successive containers into thereceiving locality while retarding positive advance of the containerbeyond the locality except under impulse of forward-acting force ofbottles descending along the sloping path, said method further includingmoving the container away from said locality by supplying furtheradvancing force to the container after said advance by said impulse, andcompleting release of the group of bottles from neck-suspended conditioninto the container only after the container has been moved substantiallyaway from the locality by said further advancing force.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,608,308 8/1952 Taylor 214-3002,699,278 1/1955 Wysocki 53160 2,857,721 10/1958 Ardell et al. 53262,978,854- 4/1961 Fairest 53246 3,289,867 12/1966 Burke l9834X 3,314,2124/1967 Peppler 53160X 3,332,200 7/ 1967 Englander 53160X TRAVIS S.MCGEHEE, Primary Examiner R. L. SPRUILL, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

